Springfield Clinic plans parking expansion

Close to deal with law office

Springfield
Clinic is close to making a deal for expanded parking near its building on South
Sixth Street.

The
clinic plans to purchase property where the Londrigan, Potter, Randle law
office now sits at the intersection of South Seventh and Vine streets. If the
deal goes through as expected, the clinic would own all but three parcels on
Seventh Street between the law office and the clinic about two blocks north.

“It’s
not signed yet,” said James “Bud” Potter, a founding partner of the law firm that
set up shop in 1970. “I hope to get it signed this week.”

Ray
Williams, Springfield Clinic chief executive officer, said the clinic plans to use the land to expand its parking operations,
which he said are cramped at the clinic’s building. He did not rule out
expanding service offerings at the clinic.

“We’re
always looking at how we can improve our services and that sort of thing,”
Williams said.

Tom
Fitch, director of facilities and planning for Springfield Clinic, said more staff have been using a building at
Sixth and Allen streets that the clinic purchased in 2016. The main parking
lot, he said, needs revamping. “It really is congested, and potentially a
problem for our patients,” Fitch said.